Christmas pudding recipe? (another early request sorry!)

[TettyLouBar]

Hi there, whats your best recipe for an authentic pudding? I'm looking for the quantities needed for a 4 pint pudding basin.
I dont mind if theres a slight twist in the recipe - I just want ultimate taste as this is the first year I'm making one and want to make it a good one!!!

I generally use the Delia recipe. A 4 pint pudding basin is very large though - how many are you catering for and do they all like Christmas pudding?

Yeah good point! well I'm catering for 8, and my husband LOVES it so he reckons he can take on whatevers left over! thanks for you recipe tip

I use the "non conformist" pudding recipe from Nigella's Feast book. It is fabulous. I hlave the ingredients because otherwise it serves 12.

yes, thats the recipe Ive been looking at SoupDragon, I have a couple of her books and her recipes have always turned out well when Ive attempted them. The figs and blueberries recipe? Is it very figgy and sweet? I know that sounds strange but my DH is fussy and was more into a traditional recipe idea which is why I asked. He was worried he wouldnt like it.

It is delicious. Less heavy than a traditional pudding. Even the people who didn't like christmas pudding said this was nice.

I made a few amendment. Off the top of my head I couldn't tell you what though! Extra fruit probably and I used brandy instead of (I think) coffee liqueur as this seemed more traditional and my mum doesn't like coffee flavoured things.

I think I tweaked the fruit content to match personal taste. If I could be arsed to go and get the book I could tell you

the cocoa powder doesn't make it chocolatey though, I can tell you that.

I'm sold, I think I'll give that one a whirl. I have all of the ingredients to hand too! cheers ladies

can someone post the nigella recipe please?

i need to make a christmas pud this year as my dd loves it but has citrus allergy and all shop ones have citrus in. i need ot find a recipe which either doesnt have citrus fruits in, or leave them out of a recipe and hope it comes out ok.

how long in advance do you make christmas puds?

I usually make mine in November some time.

I can post the recipe later tonight if no one else does (children and puppy permitting!)

I have made my pud already, we always make it on the weekend of DS's birthday (which was last week) i use a book handed down to me thorugh the family, its by Margurite Patten its uber old but the recipes are sound, i do add a 'special' ingredient though. (top secret) i will now put a tbsp of Rum over it every 2 weeks untill xmas when DP will set it on fire.

I have also done my Mincemeat and will do my Chrimbo Cake in a couple of weeks time.

siuodragon thank you

titsalina, what recipe do you use for your mincemeat?

I did my crimbo cake last week first time, hope its ok. It smells gorgeous. How much, and how often shall I feed it brandy and when??? (Can I feed myself too!??)

Nonconformist Christmas pudding
NOTE: THIS SERVES twelve so adjust as necessary.

300g dried figs
175g dried blueberries
225g currants (I use blueberries, cranberries and sultanas, totalling a little more than the blueberries + currants)
150ml coffee liqueur (I use brandy though)
175g unsalted butter
100g breadcrumbs
100g ground almonds
50g cocoa
100g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
150g soft dark brown sugar
2 decent sized eating apples
3 large eggs
1 x 142ml pot sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I am heavy handed with this!)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg ) I am heavy handed with the spices
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ) particularly the cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional - I've never put it in)
coins or charms

Butter a 2.5l or 3l heatproof plastic pudding basin and lid (I use ceramic though and seal it with foil!)

Chop the figs in a food processor and put into a bowl with the other dried fruit and the liqueur/brandy. Leave to soak overnight.

Put the breadcrumbs, ground almonds, cocoa, flour, baking powder, bicarb and sugar into another bowl and mix.

Peel, core and quarter the apples and bung them in the unwashed figgy food processor. and chop them. Tip them into the dry ingredients with the dried fruit. I tip the brandy from the dried fruit into the food processor and then add the softened butter, eggs, sour cream, vanilla and spices and blitz them together. Pour this into the other bowl, scraping it all off the sides of the processor bowl.

Add your clean coins (soak them in cola overnight!), stir it all together and make a wish

Pour into the prepared bow, cover and steam for 4 hours (in a steamer or in a large saucepan of boiling water with a lid on top. check water levels regularly)

Take the pudding out of the pan carefully and leave to cool and set. Leave to mellow and mature (and I tip a bit more brandy on to feed it a few weeks before Christmas!).

ON Christmas day, put it on to steam for at least 1.5 hours although the longer you steam it, the denser and stickier it gets.

Unmould it (I've never got it out without leaving the very top in the bottom of the bowl!) and stick some holly on top. Warm 125ml vodka and pour over the pud at the table before setting light to it. Vodka burn better than brandy apparently.

thank you will give that one a try.

daft question but i have never set light to a christmas pud- so how do you warm the vodka (have visions of setting the whole kitchen on fire!!)

I microwave it, although I can't for the life of me remember for how long and Nigella doesn't say. Long enough for it to be warm and giving off fumes (this is what ignites) but not so long it explodes in the microwave

My favourite is Keith Floyd's christmas pudding it is amazing my family all flock over to ours when they know we've made on for christmas.
it's a traditional one straight forward and really delivers

RIP Mr Floyd your xmas pud and cake recipes have and will live on in lola's house!